Desert With the Red Lake
by Wolf in the Walls
Summary: AC 197; one year after the day four pilots and and Kaylynn would like to forget....
1. Default Chapter

Anshi: I'd like to state that I do NOT own either GW or Kaylynn. I'd also like to thank Pop Flower for help with the ideas. THANKS POP FLOWER MAXWELL!   
  
Baset: Just get on with the fic!   
  
Anshi: Okay!   
  
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Four pilots stood in a large, parlor-like room on the Winner estate. Kaylynn, a newer pilot who could drop to Duo's IQ level at times, walked in. She wore black. Black skirt, black (flashy) top, black earrings, ect, ect. She had a solemn look on her face as she looked at everyone in the room.   
  
"Hey guys, do you know what day it is?" She asked.  
  
"No. Enlighten us O wise one." Duo replied, getting a few laughs around the room.   
  
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because...it's that day."   
  
The room fell silent.   
  
"Also, take a look at where you are."  
  
There was an even dead-ER silence.   
  
"This was the day he took his life." Trowa said. (Almost, kind of, maybe audible to the normal person.)   
  
"Poor Heero, he's the one who saw it..." Wufei said sadly.   
  
"I remember what happened. The first time at least."   
  
"Duo..."   
  
"I know that it was after Operation Midnight. Angel took the mission for us. She didn't come home that night, and we knew she was dead. Quatre took it worse than all of us, I think. I remember that his was outside a lot afterwards.   
" 'Quat, are you gonna be okay?" I remember asking him one night.   
" 'I'll be fine Duo, just...how long will the emptiness last?' He asked me.   
" 'I'm not sure kid. We're all taking it hard, especially Kaylynn.' I replied. I remember leaving the room with grim thoughts. I didn't think that he would even try to take his life. He seemed so innocent, and kind-hearted.   
"That night, I heard Kaylynn say that one of the knives were missing. Fear gripped my body. Before anyone did anything, I ran faster than anyone should have been able to. I almost broke open the door to Quatre's bedroom. He had the missing knife. One...one hand held the knife as he went to slit his other wrist. I remember grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and holding him against the wall. I snatched the knife from his hand and threw it aside.   
" 'Are you crazy!!!???' I shouted, 'What would make you try to kill yourself?! We're here for you Quatre! Damn it! You can come to us for someone to lean on! You can come to us if you want to cry! You don't have to go alone! Yes we all miss Angel, but you killing yourself won't make things better!' Then, I think I called for Kaylynn to bring some bandages. After a glare, I wrapped his arm and lectured him for a few seconds before leaving. That...that was the last time I talked to him before...before..." Duo's voice trailed off.   
  
He collapsed into a chair, tears sliding down his face. Kaylynn was on the verge of crying also. The other pilots remained silent. It went in sequence, one by one... 


	2. Wufei and Trowa tell their tales

"It's okay Duo." Wufei said, putting his hand on the braided-pilot's shoulder. Kaylynn stopped breathing.   
  
"You're going to tell us also Wufei?" She asked. The pilot nodded.   
  
"We won't stop you. Go on Wufei. We're listening." Trowa said, more audible than ever. Wufei took a deep breath, and began.  
  
"It must have been a week or so after Quatre tried to slit his wrists. I remember him coming to me with an innocent look on his face. I was cleaning my room I think.   
" 'What's wrong Winner?' I asked harshly.   
" 'Have anything sharp laying around?' He asked, innocent as a kitten.   
" 'Here.' I remember tossing him something...a dagger I think and went on cleaning. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him raise it to his chest. I shouted and kicked the weapon out his hand. I...I slammed him against the wall, saying that he was weak if he was going to take his life right in front of me.   
" 'Don't be angry Wufei.' I heard him whisper. My blood froze. That was our weakness. He...he...he alwa-always knew us better than ourselves. Now...he's...he's..." Everyone watched as the spirit of an superior warrior fled Wufei, leaving the scared shell of a boy.   
  
"Then what happened?" Kaylynn asked to anyone.   
  
"He came to me." Trowa said, very audible.   
  
"I was in my room putting up photos of Lion, when Quatre came in.   
" 'Hey Trowa, where's your lion?' He asked in the normal fashion.   
" 'Out back.' I said, motioning out the window.   
" 'Is he angry?'  
" 'Well, I haven't fed him in a week or so. Hey, I thought he didn't like you.'   
" 'That's the point.' He began to walk out the door when I jumped, flipped half a dozen times before landing in front of him, heading him off. (A/N: Does he EVER WALK?) I grabbed his shoulder, and looked him straight in the eye as I sternly lectured him about the taking-your-own-life-won't-do-any-good. But...then...I saw past his eyes and into his heart. It had been turned into ashes. It was fire when Angel was around..."   
  
"I don't understand. He didn't have to." Kaylynn whispered, holding her runes in her hands.   
  
"But he did anyways. The hole inside of him was in the shape of Angel. You know that."   
  
"I know Trow." (Hey! It rhymed! Baset: We're all very proud.)   
  
"I feel sorry for Heero over there. He took it even worse..." 


	3. Kaylynn and Heero tell the end

"Kaylynn, how about you? What happened with you?" Duo asked, wiping his eyes.   
  
"Okay, Okay. Here's the story..."  
  
"I was talking with Trowa and Duo about how weird Quatre had been over the past few days. We were outside in the sun, just talking.   
" 'How far do you think he would go?' Duo asked.   
" 'I hope it ends soon. If he succeeds, how would we explain it to Rashid? He would MURDER us!' I replied.   
" 'Quatre doesn't need to kill himself. I believe he is already dead.'   
" 'His soul you mean Trowa, right?'   
" 'Yes.'   
"I remember Sandrock suddenly flying by. I gasped and ran.   
" 'TELL HEERO I'M TAKING ZERO!!' I shouted as I ran off. I had to get to him before he drove Sandrock into space and self-destructed. I saw him about a hundred meters or so in the air. Carefully aiming, I shot. I thought the fall alone would kill him. I ran to Sandrock as Quatre exited the cockpit. I shook him a few times.  
" 'What are you thinking!? You're no good to anyone dead! Angel KNEW that mission was suicide! That's why she took if INSTEAD of us!' I remember I backhanded him across the face. His head stayed in that position. He didn't even bother to look at me anymore.   
" 'Why Quatre? Tell me!' I shouted.   
" 'Because she's dead.' He muttered.   
" 'I know she's dead! I'm-We're ALL taking this hard! You could have just come to us and told us!' I grabbed his wrist; it still had scars on it.  
" 'She took that mission to give us a message! She wants us to LIVE Quatre! LIVE! She tells you that everyday. Angel wants you to live more than anything!' I remember punching the metal next to him. Blood spread over my knuckles as I whispered to him,   
" 'She wants everyone to live. Live Quatre...for her.'" Kaylynn rubbed her knuckles. They still had the scars on them from that encounter.   
  
"I told him to live." She whispered. Duo put his hand around her shoulder.  
  
"It's okay, he was pushed too hard." He whispered into her ear.   
  
Everyone turned to Heero. He looked at them one by one.   
  
"Quatre came to me on this day one year ago. I was working on Zero when he came up.  
" 'Heero, I have a favor to ask.' He said in a dull and emotionless voice.   
" 'What is it kid?' I asked, not looking away from my work.   
" 'Shoot me.' He said. I froze. My blood became ice and my heart stopped.   
" 'Come on and kill me Heero. I'm at point blank range.' He said, holding his arms out. I turned to him.   
" 'Are you crazy?' I said in a whisper.   
" 'No. I'm not. Kill me Heero.'   
" 'No. I won't. I won't kill you Quatre.' That's when I noticed my gun on the ground.   
" 'If you won't, then I'll do it myself.' He said. In the blink of an eye, Quatre had grabbed the gun and was running out to the lake. I quickly ran after him, but he reached the water's edge before I did.   
" 'I'm sorry Heero.' That was the last thing I heard him say. The gun went off and my heart stopped as Quatre dell into the water. Blood spread to every corner of the lake. Every part of the lake had blood-red water washing up on the shore. I dragged his body onto the shore. His blank eyes stared up at me as I began to cry. I...I...I knew that he was dead and gone.   
" 'Gomen Quatre. Omae gomen Katoru Winnah.' (Translation: Sorry Quatre. I'm sorry Quatre Winner.) You all didn't find me until morning. I was still crying though. I never will use that gun...ever again."   
  
The room fell silent. Kaylynn looked out to the lake. The water was still red.   
  
"This is the desert with the red lake." She said, clicking the runes in her bag.   
  
"Kaylynn."  
  
"Yes Heero?"   
  
"One word, Séance."   
  
"I'll get set up. Someone go and find a picture of him. There ought to be enough laying around." Kaylynn said as she began to set up the séance. 


End file.
